Draft or hitch connection



Sept. 12, 1950 w. H. DU SHANE 2,522,215

DRAFT 0R HITCH CONNECTION Filed June I4, 1948 FIG. 4

28 IN VEN TOR.

WALLACE H, DU SHANE Patented Sept. 12, 1950 Miran Jame PK tacit" "smile 2. VValla'e'e HuDif'Shane, Waterloo, Iowa, assignor to Deere ManufaoturingiCoa Dubuque;lowa, a

corporation of Iowa Application lillfle 14, ls4sji sriaiiiro. 32,960

tClaims. (o1. ass-33.1511;

The most iiornmon ==iorn1 of interconnection between vehicles or; tractors and implements is a pin which is vertically insertable or removable n omabovanqwever, because of thetendency O f Su Chtpin to become vertically displaced duri'n'g" oi'ieration of'the ;vehicles-or implements, it isnec'essary toiprovide some *means for retain: in'g the pin' in place. Several types of such means are i nown,ranging all the way fro n a s iiriplecotterfpin or to relativelycomplicated spring'and earn mechanisms ii-twill be readily 1 recognized that ordinary A vibrations set upl' duringthe operation of vehicle or implement units interconnected by means including a-eommom threaded pin and not will canse the nntgto work": its way offthe pin andthe'pin will 'event ually' work its way out ofr"theconneggticm; ItQ-has; further been determined that the tendency --of the pin'lto workupwardly developed such force in; certain FCircihmstances' as to shear ofi- -an ordi nary pin or' cotter keypassed through the main pin for the -.15urpose -.of lockingthe main pin; Consequently',.Iresort has heretofore been had to locking means iincliidingi.spring-loaded ora cam actuated pins 1 Although-suchicom1ections are satisfactory .fromthe standpoint of maintaining the interconnection,=they are expensive to man afactur'e and'likelyito break down in operations Further, suchLfeonnections necessarily -involve several movable. parts and are likely: itotbecome inoperative becausemf zrnst corrosion; or acou-' mulation 10f. material incidentto the particular operation, in. which the vehicle-101cc implements unit .iseengaged. z v =15.

iThenpresent invention ates; andqi'hasi for a principal objectithe :provision of an im a pm; G and s m fied air tm onnection in whi h: a, jitch -pin of unitary construction-is the izonlya movable t rt-ev l lisan imp rtnt obi coi $1 655 invention ,to irelate the-;hitch=-pin to ;a; retaining means in snch,manner1that accidental: es ap wtof r the pin from the connection; is extremely tin-o i slysu nomalcen it ons it i l iurthe e bject o the: n ention z-is-r o n dscaadraftl on e t n i whiph h h nn sin t hle trim-ugh: alhitchmemloer which has aretaining; member-a a tongue fixed to the pin,-where1oy thapin mast: a istsd so thatthe m auca naaeesinnder the eta nin ,mfimberathe lct and tongue mama, so dimensioned that vertical withdrawal of'the pin from the hitch member and retaining 1nemcompassed bythe'invntionwill liecoihe her dependsupc ubsta'nti'allyf pe alignment ofthe 'ton'g'iie and slot"; spect; it 'isyanother obiiect of the invention provide interengag'able; stops" or" fiah itrneiits limitingv 'angi'ilai" "ihovemehti of the *pirifwithin wrange 'in'" which the tongue or; *the par-stays below the reta-ini'rig mem er to be confine the retaining member excepewhen t: and slot are" vertically aligned. It is hitch connections tfiat'lil'i' hitch pint Ha dency to rotate :untn n is stopped} re 2 ii? Will move"'ax'i'al1y-upwadl does nctrdepend -mwn any an action, thereby eli miiiating the possibi'liti thati the'pin: c'oulti becomeialnrned" wasta e of r'fistf corrosion or collection of material incident to theroperation oi the vehicle or ifiiilri'ien t finit irfwhich'the conn'cti' -'The': foregoing 'aiid A and important featuresinherent in aridi to those versed in the) art the distilosure' of a preferred embodiment of the 'inveiition'is mere completely made in the following detailed descrintion and accompanying sheet of "drawin s, n 1: rmq ul h 1-; wine r- 2 r a" *Figurelds afragmentary view in side elevation of an intermediate-"portion6f "a" marsh draft construction;

Figure :2 isr a'= plan-view of th strutur ases in- Figur-e'i; i A: i i Fligu-re 3 is a vertical "sectional view taken siiii stanti'ally on the line 3-'--3 of Fig ur'e "and Figure 4 lS'f'a 'Ifragrnentary perspective showing-the t'op" portion'of thehitli 13in; Alth'bugh the *nitch of draft "ohmicifioii here irf setwforth may be -nsedin the interdonnetitioii ofidifferent'typesi'of vehicle unit's; itis arenas 7 designed "for? the ihterconnectiorihf a tractor and trailing implement; To this end, the" reference numeralf w"-.=in theodrawing designates a hitch member which may be the' 'rea'r part of 1 or dinaryitractoridrawbari The hith 'inernberi cludes a'secondarymember H i which,

zontal or flat nd which borders a generally vertical, substantially circular aperture I3 provided in the member. The aperture I3 is vertically coaxial with an aperture I4 in the lower or secondary member I I. The numeral I5 represents a second hitch member which may be the forward portion of a tongue, for example, on an implement. The member I5 is vertically apertured at I6 and is normally positioned between the members Ill and I I with the aperture I6 in vertical alignment with the apertures I3 and I4 50 that the apertures may receive a vertical hitch pin I I, the pin being insertable into the apertures and removable from the apertures from above.

The hitch member Ill carries thereon means providing a retaining member indicated generally by the numeral I 8. Securing of the member I8 to the member II] is preferably accomplished by welding, as indicated at I9.

The member I8 is formed generally as a plate having a first portion 20 which is secured to the upper surface of the member I 0 and a second portion 2! which is vertically offset above the upper surface I2 01' the member Ill. There is thus provided between the upper surface I2 and the under surface of the portion 2! a clearance space 22 adjacent the aperture I3, and also adjacent the upper portion of the pin I! when the pin is in place. The portion 2! is bifurcated in such manner as to provide a generally semicircular notch 23 that is coaxial with the aperture I 3. The bifurcation of the portion 2I provides a pair of furcations 24, each of which provides an extension or lip on the portion 2! and defining portions of the clearance space 22. The bifurcation or notch 23 is so shaped as to include a communicating gap or slot 25 which is here shown as extending outwardly generally normal or radial to the common axis of the pin I. I and apertures I3 and I6. This notch is out completely vertically through the portion 2! of the retaining member I8 so as to provide a vertical passage in communication with the clearance space 22. I

- That portion of the pin I I that is normally disposed above the level of the top surface I2 of the member It is provided with means for retaining the pin against accidental vertical displacement and for preventing the pin from dropping completely through the aligned apertures in the members III, II and I5. This means is preferably in the form of a rod-like member or element. designated generally by the numeral '26, passed diametrically through a bore 21 provided in an upper portion of the pin I'l. The rod 26 extends at opposite sides of the pin I and at one side has a shorter portion which provides a tongue 28 and at its other side has a longer portion which provides a handle 29. The rod is preferably circular in cross section and the portion providing the tongue 28 is reduced in its vertical dimension sothat the tongue may be readily and freely accommodated in the clearance space 22 beneath the furcations or lips 24 on the portion 2I of the retaining member I8. The reduction in the vertical'dimension of the tongue 28 is preferably accomplished by milling on a top portion thereof. The lateral dimension of the tongue 28 is only slightly less than'the width of the slot 25, so that the tongue may pass vertically through the slot with but limited clearance. Thus the pin Il may be dropped into place from above with the tongue 28 in vertical alignment with the slot 25 so that the former may enter the clearance space 22, after which the handle 29 may be utilized to move the pin II angularly to misalign the tongue 28 and slot 25, whereupon the tongue 28 will lie below one or the other of the lips or furcations 24.

Each lip or furcation has a terminal edge 30 which, in the preferred construction illustrated, lies on a diameter of the semi-circular notch or bifurcation 23. The terminal edge portions 38 thus provide abutments spaced apart an angular distance of degrees. Since the handle 29 is diametrically opposite the tongue 28, it will extend substantially in the same direction as the lips 24 and, as the pin moves angularly about its axis, the handle will approach one or the other of the terminal edge abutments 30.

As previously stated, the member 25 that provides the tongue 28 and handle 29- is of circular cross section, with a portion thereof being milled off to provide a reduced vertical dimension on the tongue 28. The handle portion 29 is unchanged in vertical dimension and is thus larger than the tongue 28. It will be noted also that the vertical dimension of the handle 29 is greater than the vertical distance between the top surface I2 of the member iii and the under surface of the lips or furcations 24 on the portion 21 of the retaining member I8. Consequently, the increased vertical dimension of the handle 29 provides a stop portion which is engageable with one or the other of the abutment edges 3?) on the furcations, inasmuch as the handle 29 can-- not pass below either furcation. The dotted line position of the handle 29 in Figure 2 shows that engagement of the handle 29 with one of the furcations 30 confines angular movement of the pin IT to a range in which the tongue 28 remains under the opposite furcation. Similarly, when the handle 29 engages the opposite terminal edge abutment 38, the tongue 28 will lie under the first mentioned furcation. In brief, the tongue 28 is confined beneath the furcations or lips and cannot escape vertically except when the tongue and the slot 25 are vertically aligned. Inasmuch as the dimensions of the tongue 23 and slot 25 are such that only limited clearance is provided it will be seen that the two must be substantially perfectly aligned vertically before the pin can be moved upwardly. Ordinarily, it-Will require manual control to accomplish this substantially perfect alignment of the tongue and slot and normally the chances of accidental alignment of the two are negligible.

Summarizing briefly the important features of the invention, it will be noted that the tongue 28 is freely swingable in an arcuate path through the clearance space 22 and retention of the pin does not depend upon any binding or jammed relationship of the parts. The clearance is therefore such as to eliminate the possibility of accidental jamming of the parts by rust, corrosion or accumulation of foreign material. The element 26 is preferably connected to the pin I! by means of a press fit accomplished by the proper dimensioning of the part 26 and bore 21 of the pin. The pin and element 25 thus become, in effect, a one-piece structure. Likewise,

the retaining member I8 is rigidly secured to the member ID. In general, the construction is such that the only movable part in the connection in so far as the retaining action is concerned is the pin structure I (-26.

It should be understood that the present disclosure relates to a preferred form of the in vention and that the detailed description and illustration thereof is not intended to exclude changes in dimensions or proportions of the parts to adapt the invention to the same or other circumstances. The disclosure should be taken, therefore, as illustrative and not limiting.

What is claimed is:

1. In a draft or hitch structure: a hitch member having a vertical aperture therein and provided with a generally flat top surface bordering said aperture; a retaining member secured to the hitch member and overlying the hitch member surface and including a generally flat under surface spaced in parallelism above the hitch member surface to provide a clearance space adjacent the aperture, said retaining member having a bifurcation generally in vertical alignment with the aperture so that unobstructed access may be had to the aperture from above and between the furcations thus provided, said retaining member further having a slot offset from the aperture in a direction generally normal to the vertical axis of the aperture and opening to the bifurcation and further extending generally vertically through the retaining member to provide a passage to and from the clearance space; a hitch pin of substantially circular cross-section insertable between the furcations and receivable in the aperture for angular movement therein, and having a tongue projecting therefrom in a direction conforming to the disposition of the slot, said tongue being so dimensioned with respect to the slot as to closely fit and pass generally vertically through the slot and further so dimensioned as to be loosely receivable in and movable in an arcuate path through the clearance space and below the furcations to become angularly mis-aligned with the slot; and a handle on the pin projecting therefrom in a direction generally diametrically opposite the tongue and disposed to freely overlie a portion of the top surface of the hitch member between the furcations, said handle and furcations being so constructed and arranged as to provide cooperative stops angularly related so that the pin may move freely angularly in the aperture within a range in which the tongue is confined beneath one or the other of the furcations and may be withdrawn vertically from the aperture only when the tongue and slot are vertically aligned.

2. In a draft or hitch structure: a hitch member having a vertical aperture therein and provided with a generally flat top surface bordering said aperture; a retaining member secured to the hitch member and overlying the hitch member surface and including a generally flat under surface spaced in parallelism above the hitch member surface to provide a clearance space adjacent the aperture, said retaining member having a semi-circular notch providing a bifurcation generally coaxial with the aperture so that unobstructed access may be had to the aperture from above and between the furcations thus provided, said retaining member further having a slot offset from the aperture in a direction generally normal to the vertical axis of the aperture and opening to the bifurcation and further extending generally vertically through the retaining member to provide a passage to and from the clearance space; a hitch pin of substantially circular cross-section insertable between the furcations and receivable in the aperture for free angular movement therein; and a lock element carried by the pin at a portion thereof above the hitch member, including a part disposed substantially on a diameter of the pin and providing a tongue at one side of the pin and a stop member at the other side of the pin, said tongue being so dimensioned with respect to the slot as to closely fit and pass generally vertically through the slot and further so dimensioned-as to be loosely receivable in and freely movable in an arcuate path through the clearance space and below the furcations to become angularly mis-aligned with the slot, and said stop being normally disposed to project in the same direction as and between the furcations to be swingable arcuately freely across the top surface of the hitch member and between the furcations as the pin moves angularly, said stop being engageable with one or the other of the furcations to limit angular movement of the pin to less than a complete revolution.

3. The invention defined in claim 2, further characterized in that: the lock element comprises a rod passed through the pin and the tongue portion'thereof is reduced in vertical dimension so as to be freely accommodated in the clearance space, and the stop portion thereof is of a vertical dimension greater than the spacing of the furcations above the hitch member so as to abut one or the other of the furcations when the pin moves angularly.

4. In a draft connection or the like: a hitch member having a generally vertical aperture therein; a hitch pin passed downwardly into the aperture and freely angularly movable therein; means at the upper end of the pin providing a tongue projecting outwardly from the pin in a direction generally normal to the axis of the pin to overlie a top portion of the hitch member, said tongue being connected to the pin and freely swingable in an arcuate path over the hitch member as the pin moves angularly; and means on the hitch member including a pair of lip members separated by a slot that is generally normal to the axis of the pin and so disposed and of such dimensions as to provide for vertical passage of the tongue therethrough with but limited clearance, said lips being spaced above the hitch member a distance slightly exceeding the vertical dimension of the tongue so as to clear the tongue as it moves in its arcuate path, said lips further overlying substantial top portions of the hitch member and hence overlying substantial parts of the possible path of arcuate movement of the tongue and being imperforate to the extent that vertical escape of the pin from the hitch member can occur only when the tongue and slot are vertically aligned.

WALLACE H. DU SHANE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Stockton Mar. 18, 1924; 

